Chapter 508: Familiar Face

Not long after, Wang Yu saw the mountain range where Yuheng Hall stood, along with its numerous buildings half-hidden within.

Although he had only been in Bishui Cave Heaven for a few days, he had already quietly memorized the locations of several key places during his previous visit to Yuheng Hall—especially the Scripture Library and the Pill Pavilion.

So he activated Fire Subterfuge without hesitation, spiraled once through the air, and descended toward a massive tower seven or eight stories tall.

At the tower’s entrance, several men and women were coming and going; the back view of the youngest woman at the rear made Wang Yu glance once—and he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

But in Bishui Palace, aside from Yan Lingxiang, how could he possibly know anyone else?

Wang Yu did not dwell on it; perhaps it was merely a back view resembling someone else—and he walked into the Pill Pavilion as well.

Upon entering, he saw two groups of people standing before a counter, speaking with a Daoist acolyte.

Daoist acolyte?

Wang Yu looked at the child behind the counter—wooden hairpin in his hair, wearing a pale blue Daoist robe—and a strange expression crept onto his face.

He himself had once been a Daoist acolyte for quite some time.

Although the hall had several counters, only this one acolyte stood behind them; after a moment’s thought, Wang Yu stepped closer and waited to the side.

The couple at the front of the counter seemed to be husband and wife.

The man wore a short-sleeved leather armor, his frame broad and muscular, arms thick and powerfully built; the woman was tall, dressed in pale blue Bishui Palace attire, her hair pinned high, her belly slightly rounded—she was pregnant.

The couple paid no attention to Wang Yu’s approach; they quickly finalized their transaction with the acolyte, handed over a pouch of spirit stones, received a vial of pills from the Daoist, and left.

As the muscular man brushed past, he nodded to the other group, then wrapped his arm around his wife and walked out the door as if no one else were there.

The woman wore a look of pure happiness; the two appeared deeply affectionate.

“Brother, you greeted that senior brother—he’s Wu Shu, right? The one from the inner sect? I heard he entered the Dao through martial arts, a natural-born body refinement prodigy. Even though he’s only at Foundation Establishment early stage, he once defeated a mid-stage cultivator. Are you really that close to him?”

Among the other group farther from the counter, a girl of short stature with a baby face, no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, shouted loudly the moment the couple left the hall, tugging at the sleeve of a young man in his thirties, her face tinged with excitement.

This group consisted of two women and two men, all dressed in Bishui Palace attire.

But judging by the insignias on their robes, the two women were outer sect disciples, their aura barely at mid- to late Qi Refinement; the two men were inner sect disciples, both radiating the aura of Foundation Establishment early stage. The man whose sleeve the baby-faced girl tugged bore a striking resemblance to her.

“Little sister, you’ve memorized the palace’s famous roster by heart. That’s indeed Senior Wu and his wife. Senior Wu is one of the most renowned body refinement experts of this generation; defeating a mid-stage opponent is nothing unusual. I’ve merely met him a few times.”

“Heehee, Senior Wu built up his resources purely through his fists and body refinement, earning his promotion to Foundation Establishment and becoming an inner sect disciple—he’s a legend among outer sect disciples. Of course I’m excited to see him!”

“Hmph, always acting so wild and reckless—when will you ever become as quiet and composed as Mu Zi?”

The young woman beside her had delicate features, fair skin; though not stunningly beautiful, she carried an innate scholarly grace. Hearing this, she replied gently:

“Brother Gao, you’re mistaken. Zi Zi’s innocent, lively nature is exactly what suits her age. I’ve read too many books—my disposition is too dull, and I have few peers my own age.”

“Gao’s girl certainly has a good character, but Mu Zi is quite wonderful too—surely many admire her,” said the younger man beside her, with narrow eyes, glancing at the fair girl with deliberate meaning.

“Then I thank Senior Mi for your kind words—I hope it truly comes to pass,” replied the Mu girl, her expression subtly shifting.

“What ‘senior’? Didn’t I say you’re my cousin? I call Mi brother as a fellow disciple—you two should address each other as peers.”

“That won’t do. I share blood with you, so we may speak as equals. But with Senior Mi, we must follow palace protocol.”

At these words, the Gao youth’s face darkened; the “Senior Mi” also frowned slightly. Only the baby-faced girl’s eyes darted left and right, as if sensing something, and she pressed her lips shut, saying nothing more.

As the atmosphere grew awkward, the Daoist acolyte behind the counter impatiently snapped at them:

“What are you exchanging? If you’re not buying pills, make way for those behind you.”

“Forgive me, young Daoist,” the Gao youth suddenly startled, stepping forward and bowing. “We wish to exchange several bottles of pills to advance our cultivation.”

The acolyte appeared no higher than mid-Qi Refinement, yet the Gao youth wore a full smile of deference.

The other three followed suit; the “Senior Mi” also named several pill types to the acolyte.

The two cousins, as outer sect disciples, had no right to purchase or exchange pills here and could only watch with envious eyes.

At this moment, Wang Yu stood quietly to the side.

Although the group’s earlier conversation had been low, his powerful spiritual sense heard every word clearly.

Yet he paid no attention to their words; his gaze remained fixed on the fair young woman’s face. His expression seemed normal, but his eyes carried an indescribable complexity.

Perhaps his gaze was too direct—finally, the Mu girl could not bear it and turned her head to meet his eyes.

Seeing a stranger’s face, her slender brows furrowed slightly; she felt displeased, but restrained herself, knowing he wore inner sect attire. She turned her head away, subtly shifting her body to avoid his gaze, saying nothing.

The baby-faced girl, however, seemed to have noticed something extraordinary. Her eyes widened, she grabbed the fair girl’s arm, pulled her aside, and whispered urgently, occasionally glancing toward Wang Yu.

Wang Yu watched this, his expression unchanged, but his gaze flickered slightly as he began to ponder something.

“This junior brother looks unfamiliar—could he be a newly admitted disciple?” The Mi youth suddenly stepped away from the counter and walked up to Wang Yu, smiling faintly as he spoke.